1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a coin sorting device, and in particular, an automatic coin sorting device.
2. Related Art
A favorite pastime for many children and adults is the collection of coins. Coins collectors often store these coins in ornamental receptacles such as piggy banks, coin jars, coffee mugs, and even used water jugs. However, when these receptacles become full, the coin collector must package the coins for depositing with a bank.
Banks only deposit coins packaged in coin sleeves, also known as roll wrappers, thus the coins must be sorted by the coin collector in various quantities (e.g., a roll of 50 pennies equal to $0.50, or a roll of 40 nickels equal to $2) before they can be deposited. Years ago, coin sorters would actually have to count and sort the various quantities by hand and wrap them in the roll wrappers. Counting and sorting coins manually is time consuming.
Over the course of time, coin machines were developed to assist banks in counting and verifying coin deposits. These coin machines automatically sorted coins according to their value (i.e., pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, etc.). Thus, some banks began to allow coin collectors to deposit coins without sorting them prior to deposit as a convenience to their customers.
However, coins, especially old coins, tend to accumulate debris that stick to the coins. This debris is typically dislodged from the coins when coins are processed in a coin machine, thus debris tends to build-up and clog the various moving parts of the coin machine. This makes operating coin machines very expensive because maintenance is frequently needed. Because of the expense of operating coin machines, banks have begun to outsource their processing of large quantities of coins. Thus, coin collectors are, once again, required to roll their own coins before depositing them with the bank.
Personal coin banks or coin sorters are generally known and commonly used. In most personal coin sorters, a user places one or more coins into a hopper or similar receiving location that delivers the coins to a coin separating mechanism. The coin separating mechanism then separates the coins and moves them into a coin sorting assembly. The coin sorting assembly classifies the coins by their diameter and coins of a particular diameter, consequently a particular denomination, are directed into the appropriate one of a plurality of sorted coin storage containers.
However, personal coin sorters have a tendency to jam or back-fill when the coin storage containers are filled to capacity. Thus, a need therefore exists for a compact coin sorting device that is simple use, has few moving part, does not jam or back-fill, and provides a quick and easy means for packaging coins.